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Two free events celebrate exhibition of American Indian art collection

The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman is hosting two free events to celebrate its current exhibit of works from the James T. Bialac Collection.

FROM STAFF REPORTS •
Published: November 11, 2012

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NORMAN — The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art is offering free events to celebrate the opening of two American Indian art exhibitions from the James T. Bialac Collection.

The James T. Bialac Native American Art Collection is on view through Dec. 30 at the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art in Norman. A guest lecture Thursday will cover Bialac’s legacy as a private art collector, and a free Family Day on Nov. 18 offers art activities for all ages. PHOTO PROVIDED

Christy Vezolles, art appraiser and founder of Art Value LLC, will present a guest lecture at the art museum at 4 p.m. Thursday at the University of Oklahoma. Family Day is from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18.

The new exhibits are from the James T. Bialac Collection.

As a young law student in Tucson, Ariz., in the late 1950s, James T. Bialac purchased his first kachina, leading to a lifelong interest in American Indian art. Along the way, he formed friendships with scores of artists, collectors and dealers, ultimately leading to a collection of more than 4,000 artworks, a news release from the museum stated.

Special events

Thursday's lecture, “James T. Bialac: A Lasting Legacy,” discusses the path Bialac took to become one of the foremost private collectors of American Indian art.

Vezolles is a senior accredited appraiser of fine arts and American Indian arts as designated by the American Society of Appraisers. She has served as a judge at many prestigious Indian Markets, including at the Heard Museum in Phoenix and at the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts Indian Market in Santa Fe, N.M. She writes regularly for Western Art Collector and Native Peoples magazines.